January 6th In Mexico: Knowing What Is The Rosca De Reyes Tradition

Last Updated on November 8, 2021 by

If you happen to be in México on January 6th, you might wonder: what is the Rosca de Reyes tradition?

Rosca de Reyes, or Three Kings’ Cake in English, is synonymous with best wishes for the New Year as it is enjoyed on the 6th of January. In Mexico, Rosca de Reyes is a point of pride.

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A part of the tradition is for there a figure of baby Jesus baked into the bread. Whoever receives a piece with it will have their dreams come true. If you do this yourself, you have to be careful to warn everyone who is taking a piece that they may find this hard piece in their mouth. 

In Mexico, it is pretty popular for people to carry out a tradition that says that whoever finds the small figure in their slice has to throw a party on the day of the Calendaria. This festivity take space on February the 2nd and people prepare chocolate milk with tamales.

Rosca De Reyes Celebration

Rosca de Reyes marks a celebration that people of all ages are welcome to manifest all that’s good and affirmative going into the future. This is particularly noticeable when it comes to the size of this sweet bread. In schools and at large family gatherings can be meters long. It’s pretty lovely as it represents in a sense the idea that we’re all connected regardless of how big and complicated the world around us appears to be.

The Mexican Rosca De Reyes History

The Rosca de Reyes tradition is believed to have its roots in the rosca tradition which began somewhere around Ancient Rome. The idea back then was to celebrate god Saturn. This celebration included the exchange of gifts. The rosca was made with a variety of sweet ingredients. The most popular of which were dates, figs, and honey. 

This went on to be adapted to the Christian religion throughout Europe, eventually making its way to the Americas via the Spanish colonizers. Another idea that people took from its roots was that gifts should be given to kids like the kings would have given Jesus. 

What A Rosca De Reyes Look Like

The colorful pieces of ate that are neatly placed on top of the Rosca de Reyes are what a lot of people appreciate the most. The ate gives everybody the opportunity to really bask in the chewiness while they’re enjoying a warm drink. The flavors come from tasty fruits. As a result, there are different kinds of flavors that reflect the richness of the multicultural nature of a place like Mexico. This is a wonderful representation of the different appreciations and hopes that people from all over Mexico have.

Rosca De Reyes Recipe

Ingredients

• 5 grams of Beer yeast
• 1 spoonful of sugar
• 2 cups of warm water
• 2 cups of flour
• 1 /4 cup of sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup of milk
• 1 Lemon zest
• 1 Orange zest
• 1/3 of butter
• 1/3 cup of vegetable butter
• 1/4 cups of sugar
• 1/4 cup of flour
• 300 grams of ate

Equipment

• Oven
• Table
• Rolling pin
• Wet cloth
• Platter
• Brush
• Baking sheet

Step 1: Preheat oven

Heat the oven to reach 180 centigrades.

Step 2: Mix yeast

Mix the yeast with the sugar and the warm water until the paste augments to the double of its size.

Step 3: Place flour with other ingredients

Create a volcano with the flour, the sugar, the yeast, the eggs, the milk, the zest, and the butter.

Step 4: Mix all the previous ingredients

Mix all the ingredients until you get a paste. Amass the paste with a rolling pin and hit the paste against the table until it has an elastic texture and it doesn´t get stuck to your fingers.

Step 5: Let it rest

Cover the mass with a wet cloth and let it rest until it doubles its volume.

Step 6: Spread the mass

Spread the mass with your hands and give it shape to form an empty circle.

Step 7: Place it on a platter

Place the mass on a greased platter. Let it rest in a warm place. You need to cover it up with a wet cloth. Let it rest until it doubles its volume. Yes, do it again.

Step 8: Make the sugar paste

To prepare the sugar paste, blend the vegetable butter with the sugar and the flour.

Step 9: Varnish the cake

Varnish the cake with the beaten egg. Divide the sugar paste in strips and place them on the cake. Do the same with the ate.

Step 10: Bake the cake

Bake the cake until it gets a golden tint.

Conclusion

What most people look forward to is the chance to dip their slice of rosca right into a cup of perfectly sweet hot chocolate. People carefully and patiently prepare this chocolate while heating it up in a pan. 

As soon as it starts to get cold outside, especially in late December and early January, many people start to long for holding a hot cup of chocolate milk with a piece of rosca.

The Rosca de Reyes tradition is also about celebrating the youthful love that most people share for sugary and warm sweets. It is a pleasant symbol of new things that are to come. It heightens the spirits of those who find themselves in good company. Many see it as an occasion to feel like you’re right at home, particularly during the cold winter months.

There are many bakeries that offer their own version of Rosca de Reyes. The result is that, much like with day of the dead breads, you can find many variations. Some add vanilla or cinnamon. They decorate with other sweet treats. The roscas end up looking like a work of art. 

If you happen to be in Mexico in January, you need to buy your Rosace de Reyes in advance. You shouldn’t wait until the eve of the 6th as you won’t be able to find any. Or you can wait to enjoy a rosca after the Kings´Day as many bakeries bake new ones to meet their customers’ needs.

Read more about How To Cook Mollejas Mexican Style

Casia Valdés

Casia is a passionate home cook who loves to share her love of Mexican food with the world. She has been cooking since she was a child, helping her grandmother in the kitchen and learning the traditional techniques used to create delicious Mexican dishes. Casia loves to experiment with new ingredients and flavors, always looking for ways to make her dishes even more flavorful. She is also passionate about teaching others about Mexican cuisine and its rich history. When she is not in the kitchen, Casia enjoys exploring new cultures, traveling, and spending time with her family.